Football NSW CEO Stuart Hodge: “If we can get clarity and alignment together then I think we can see football reaching its potential”

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Stuart Hodge 2

A long-time adherent of the world game, Football NSW Chief Executive Officer Stuart Hodge has been in charge of the state footballing body since 2017. His time in the role has included navigating back-to-back major lockdowns through a pandemic in NSW, with the current lockdown period beginning in late June.

The surge in COVID-19 cases across NSW left football in a tentative place nearly two months ago, but an extended lockdown has forced Hodge and Football NSW to ultimately cancel the remaining NSW-based state league seasons and its National Premier Leagues competitions.

Steering not just an organisation, but a state with such an engrained passion and commitment to football through a pandemic not once, but twice, has been a major challenge of Hodge’s time at the helm of Football NSW. If anything, leading the Football NSW family through such tough times has made Hodge appreciate the game to an even greater extent.

Stuart Hodge

Q: It’s been announced that all Football NSW seasons have been officially cancelled following a board meeting on Wednesday evening. How challenging was it for yourself and the board to make this difficult decision?

Stuart Hodge: Any decision to cancel a competition is a serious one, and one that you wear with a heavy heart. We all would have loved to have seen all of the competitions come to an end and all of the effort from the players, coaches, volunteers, everyone rewarded with a proper conclusion.

Unfortunately, the circumstances that we’re in now with the pandemic and with the extended lockdown that we’ve been in – we’re coming up towards two months now that we wouldn’t have had teams training – it’s getting later into the year and understandably without a roadmap from the government as to how sport’s going to come out of this, it was the sensible conclusion.

Really, it was the decision that we had to take. And as hard as that is, at least it now gives certainty to everybody, and we can now start to plan how the 2022 season now looks like.

We would’ve loved to have been able to play on. If you look at some of our competition structures, especially around our women’s league, we have around 80 players from the W-League playing in our WNPL which is a demonstration of what a fantastic league that is. We were facing significant crossover with the W-League, and then as every week of the lockdown went on it became pretty obvious that we weren’t going to be able to play out a season without a significant clash with the W-League.

Q: Obviously, it’s a challenging time at the moment with NSW (in addition to other states) going through a severe lockdown. How are Football NSW working to aid clubs throughout this period?

Stuart Hodge: I think the decision that we made gave our NPL clubs certainty. That’s one of the things I think many clubs wanted clarity on. Being in limbo and wondering whether you’re going to return means that they’re holding on and waiting for the decision, at least now they can take the appropriate action and move on.

We’ve revised our club entry fees to ensure some financial relief for the clubs. We’re also advocating for government support. We were successful in doing that last year and hope that further support from government will come.

And then with our association clubs, most of our metropolitan associations have already decided to cancel the rest of their season. So, again it’s about how we can support clubs to get through this period and make sure they’re strong for next year.

Q: Football NSW this week encouraged clubs to get involved in initiatives like the Club Facility Project Plan, what do these initiatives do for clubs looking to get government support during this period of financial duress?

Stuart Hodge: It’s a challenging time and I guess what has been a positive from the recent NSW Government budget is the significant investment into infrastructure. And in particular, sporting facilities.

We’re like many other states in that we have a chronic shortage of facilities, both quality and quantity. And it really is the main thing that’s holding us back from increasing even more so in terms of participation.

So, we’ve undertaken some projects including a facilities audit and facilities strategy to position us , our associations and clubs well to capitalize on some of the upcoming grant programs that the government has announced. There’s a Greater Cities Fund, a Centre of Excellence Fund and there’s a Multi-Sport Facility Fund that will all open soon from the NSW Government and we are working hard to make sure football is well-prepared to apply for those grants.

In addition to that, we have the Women’s World Cup coming and we’re working closely with the Office of Sport in proposing a Legacy Fund. And we’re working with Football Australia on that as well. It would be specific to the football community to be able to access. We’ve been doing a lot of advocating directly with ministers to really emphasise the need for investment into football facilities, and we’ve been pleased with some of the NSW Government’s grant programs in recent times.

We’ve seen a large portion of the available funds being allocated going towards football projects.

Q: How are you feeling following the announcement of the Domestic Match Calendar by Football Australia recently?

Stuart Hodge: I think it’s a really important project to undertake. Having a really fixed calendar where there’s more alignment in the game is very positive.

As I mentioned earlier, we’ve got some challenges we face in regards to some crossover with the W-League and our competition. So, we’re working to see how we can better position that. I think the Domestic Match Calendar is really important in that it gives everybody a clear view of when everybody’s playing and where they’re playing. I guess then it opens up opportunities for discussion around other competitions and where they fit in.

It gives us opportunities to build our activities around national team matches. We of course know with the Women’s World Cup coming – and once we become available again to have national teams come there – I’m sure there’ll be a lot of matches involving the Matildas and national teams will want to come and play here.

So, having that Match Calendar and that visibility is going to be very important for us all to plan as we head into the future.

WWC As One

Q: Beyond the impact of COVID-19, what are your most significant priorities for Football NSW for the rest of 2021?

Stuart Hodge: Obviously, at the moment the stability of everyone involved in Football in NSW is our priority. And making sure that we don’t leave anyone behind and everybody comes through this pandemic.

We’ve also got summer football coming up which is important for us, and that’s what we’re also working with the government on in terms of looking at how we can operate summer football.

The facility grant programs that I mentioned earlier that will open up during this year are vital for our community and putting in place a fantastic legacy program with the government will be absolutely vital.

So, I think that they’re the key things that we want to be focusing in on, not just for after this pandemic but now. Because they’re so vital to the future of the game and with the Women’s World Cup coming up, it’s really a once in a generation opportunity to capitalise on having such a massive event here.

The legacy starts now – we’ve already seen a significant increase in female players and a 15% increase in female referees.

Q: How do you see the responsibilities of the state federations evolving over the next few years?

Stuart Hodge: I think that state bodies play an important role in the whole structure of football in Australia. There was an announcement that Football Australia had made that collectively we’re looking at a review into the game and looking at how the game is operated. And I think what’s really important is that we have clear roles and responsibilities across the different areas of the game.

Every aspect of the game plays an important role. And I think if we can get clarity and alignment together then I think we can see football reaching its potential here in Australia.

Q: What do you want to say to the Football NSW community during this tough period?

Stuart Hodge: I know it’s a difficult time at the moment for everybody, but if there’s a general message out there that I’d like to say to the football community of NSW that they stay strong.

When football resumed last year and I visited clubs, the overwhelming feedback I received was how playing and being involved at a club was a huge boost to the mental health of participants.  We appreciate the physical benefits of sport, but the mental side of it is vital.

I want to thank everybody, especially the volunteers, for their understanding and patience during this difficult time and we wish everybody to stay safe as well. We can’t wait to have everybody back on the field in the near future.

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Gold Coast International drives futsal growth as international interest surges

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Image Credits: Experience Gold Coast

The 2027 Gold Coast International is set to be the biggest year of growth in the tournament’s history. The tournament has become one of Australia’s premier futsal events. Attracting the best teams from not just Australia but around the world. Andrew Parkes is the founder and managing director of the Gold Coast City Futsal Association and an advisory board member at Football Queensland. He says the tournament, and its international reputation, is only strengthening.

“Registrations are actually a step up from what they were last year,” Parkes said.

“We’ve got several teams from New Zealand. At the moment, we’ve got some Pacific Island teams that have expressed interest in coming. We got interest from Japan, and from England as well.

“We’ve got over 140 teams so far, and that’s not including anything from the local areas.”

Over 200 teams attended the 2026 edition, and the Gold Coast International is well set to break that record next year. The figures show the tournament is becoming more than a local competition. It is building a strong national and international presence.

Football Queensland and Football Australia unite behind growth

Parkes believes collaboration has played a major role in the development of futsal in Queensland. The tournament is sanctioned by both Football Queensland and Football Australia. He praised Football Queensland for its work across the sport. He said the organisation has helped create a stronger and more professional futsal system. This relationship between state and national bodies and the event has allowed the Gold Coast to play host to the national competition as well. This ensures shared resources including referees and courts.

“Football Queensland have been a major driving force and a godsend in relation to the development of futsal,” Parkes said.

“We’ve got the nationals the week before the Gold Coast International now. We’re working in harmony and synergy and supporting each other.

“I think the proofs in the pudding, not just with the Gold Coast International, but with the exposure and obviously the diversity of teams that attend. But then the further development in our local leagues, and that’s resulted in.”

E-sports adds another pathway for players and clubs

E-sports has become another major part of the Gold Coast International. Parkes said he had explored the idea for several years and that the tournament allows the community to grow beyond just the physical players on the court. The use of e-sports also allows friends and families to have an interactive experience with simulators and games whilst at the Gold Coast International.

“We launched e-sports about 2 years ago, just with a bit of a light feel. We’ve incorporated the competition into the tournament fees, which is excellent. So it doesn’t cost anybody anymore to be part of it,” Parkes said.

“It actually allows the clubs and academies to extend on their current offerings as it is at the moment and allows gaming players to be part of the club, to be part of the atmosphere and to join and that unity and be part of that sporting community.”

“We had three times the amount of teams that we had from the first year of e-sports. We’re looking to probably even double that again this year, which is really exciting as well.”

New pathways shape the tournament’s future

Parkes wants the Gold Coast International to keep expanding. He is now looking at ways to create pathways beyond the tournament itself. He said the use of its international experiences that can be earned through the tournament is not only about investing in players. But ensuring coaches have a more time-efficient avenue to be involved with futsal. It also gives more coaches the chance to work with players at an international tournament.

“We’ve now created the Gold Coast International All Stars, which is now embraced by many of the coaches and the players,” Parkes said.

“That also provides coaches who don’t have the time or the ability or whatever for the state teams, and the commitment that they need to put in the state teams throughout the year.”

“It allows us to have a lot more outreach to far more coaches that have a lot of passion and enthusiasm, and be part of the Futsal community. They want to build on the players’ abilities but may not have that year-long or eight-month-long exposure that is required by the state Futsal team coaching staff.”

For Parkes, the future is about widening access while continuing to raise standards. The tournament is growing its international reach, strengthening partnerships and creating new opportunities for both physical and e-sports players. The Gold Coast International is no longer just a tournament. It is becoming a broader platform for the development of futsal and its wider community.

For more information on the Gold Coast International and to inquire about competing in the 2027 edition, visit their website.

The Spreadsheet Is Dead: Majestri’s Fix for How Clubs Actually Assess Players

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If you’ve ever sat through a club’s end-of-season review, you’ll know the drill. A coach pulls out a folder of notes, someone half-remembers what a player was like back in Round 3 and a parent quietly wonders what they actually got for their rego fees beyond a team photo. Football club platform Majestri says it has a fix for that, and it’s built directly into its Player Assessment module.

Why clubs bother assessing players in the first place

According to Majestri, clubs run player assessments for one of three reasons – usually more than one at once. Some are chasing genuine development, using the data to lift the level across their high-performance squads. Others are after a fairer way to pick teams, putting every player on the same measurable scale so selection is based on evidence rather than a coach’s gut feel about who “looks the part.” And for clubs operating under a Football Australia or state federation licence, assessments at set intervals often aren’t optional – they’re a compliance requirement, with the paperwork to prove it when asked.

Whatever the motivation, Majestri’s pitch is the same: don’t let that assessment data die in a spreadsheet on someone’s laptop.

Build your own assessment, your way

There’s no one-size-fits-all template here. The Assessment Designer lets technical directors set their own criteria, sort them into whatever categories their coaching staff already use – think core skills, possession, defending, attacking – and decide what each point on the rating scale actually means. Crucially, every criterion also gets a comment field, because a bare number rarely tells the full story of a player’s development.

The Assessment Module Builder for an NPL Juniors assessment
The Assessment Module Builder, showing an NPL Juniors assessment with a 1-10 rating scale banded from under performing through to excelling and role-specific criteria grouped into core skills, possession, defending and attacking. Source: Majestri.

Build it once and it’s reusable every time that assessment cycle comes around, so every player and every coach – is working off the same yardstick.

Something for the parents to actually take home

One of the more relatable pain points Majestri is targeting: most families never see much tangible return from a season of fees beyond a team photo. Player Assessment addresses that with report cards – colour-coded against the same scale coaches used, grouped by category with averages calculated automatically, and delivered as a PDF or an interactive web page a parent can read without needing a coaching badge themselves.

A player report card for an under-15 player
A report card for an under-15 player, colour-coded from under performing to excelling, with a score for every criterion and a group average across core skills, possession, defending and attacking. Source: Majestri.

 

Turning the numbers into something useful

The real value, though, sits in what Majestri calls the Player Analysis Lab. This is where clubs can plot a player against their team-mates or an entire age group across two categories at once, spotting clusters and outliers at a glance. Every score gets read against the group average – so a “7” actually means something in context – and clubs can report at the broad category level or drill into individual fields underneath. The results can be filtered down and exported for selection meetings or grading purposes.

The Player Analysis Lab comparing players in an under-15 and under-16 squad
The Player Analysis Lab comparing seven players across under-15 and under-16 squads, with a scatter plot, a sortable table of scores against the player average, and controls for choosing which categories and fields to report on. Source: Majestri.

The admin side nobody enjoys, made easier

Beyond the flashy analytics, there’s a practical layer built for the volunteers actually running the process:

  • Sweep monitoring – a quick view of which assessments are done and which are still outstanding, organised into defined assessment periods so progress can be tracked against peers.
  • Individual development plans – every player gets a personalised plan, and clubs can group common improvement areas to run cross-team training sessions that lift the whole club rather than just one squad.
  • Access control – coaches and technical staff can only see assessments for the teams they’re responsible for, and completed assessments are only visible to people linked to that player’s registration.
“Hard numbers to draw on when you review coaching staff and curriculum – and something tangible for the players and parents who pay the fees.” – Majestri

 

The bigger picture

Majestri frames all of this as sitting on top of the club’s own data – assessment results live on each player’s profile inside the platform rather than in a spreadsheet that walks out the door when a technical director moves on. For committees, it also means hard numbers to lean on when reviewing coaching staff or curriculum, rather than relying on anecdote.

It’s a fairly clear read on where club administration software is heading: less about digitising paperwork for its own sake, and more about making the data clubs already collect actually work for player development, team selection and compliance  without adding to the workload of the volunteers who run the show.

For more information on Majestri’s Player Assessment module, visit majestri.com.au/player-assessment.

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